Potentilla ROSACEAE Duchesnea 



200 species, in north temperate and cold regions; over 25 in China. (Latin: potens, 

 powerful, referring to the supposed medicinal power of P. anserina.) 



Key to the Species 



a. Lvs. white tomentose beneath. 



Calyx and pedicels white tomentose: plant weak: lvs. mostly 



basal 1 . P. discolor 



Calyx and pedicels pubescent, but not white tomentose: plant 



erect, stout ; stems leafy 2. P. chinensis 



aa. Lvs. more or less pubescent, but not white tomentose. 



Fls. large, 1-2 cm. across: plants conspicuously stoloniferous: 



lfts. mostly obovate 3. P. fragarioides 



Fls. small, 6-10 mm. across: plants sometimes rooting at the 

 nodes, but not conspicuously stoloniferous: lfts. mostly oblong 

 or cuneate. 



Lfts. serrate or dentate, 1.5-3 cm. long 4. P. kleiniana 



Lfts. deeply incised or cleft, 6-20 mm. long 5. P. supina 



1. Potentilla discolor Bunge f$S^ (Fan Pai Ts'ao; White-beneath Plant) (Mak. 

 F.452). Prostrate herb; fls. yellow, III-IV; fr. V. Northern China, Japan; locally 

 in Ki., Ku., Che. Open hills. 



2. Potentilla chinensis Ser. WtWM (Wei Ling Ts'ai) (Mak.F.453). Erect herb, to 1 

 m.; fls. yellow, V-VII; fr. VII-VIII. China, Japan; locally in An., Hon., Ku. 

 Open hills. 



3. Potentilla fragarioides Linn. ^I^H (Chih Tzu Yen; Pheasant's Feast) (H.F. 

 2:350). Stoloniferous herb; fls. yellow, 1-2 cm. across, III-IV. Eastern Asia; 

 locally in An., Che., Ku. Open hills. 



4. Potentilla kleiniana Wight & Arn. Mii^ (She Han; Herb-from-the-mouth-of-a- 

 snake) (H.F.2:359). Prostrate herb; fls. yellow, VI -VII. Eastern Asia; locally 

 in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Open hills. 



5. Potentilla supina Linn. frpEAJHI^ (Yang Wu Wei Ling Ts'ao; Decumbent 

 Potentilla) (H.F.2:359). Weak herb, 2-8 dm. high; fls. yellow, V-VI. Northern 

 hemisphere; locally in Hon., Ki., Ku. Open hills. 



10. Fragaria Linn. Strawberry ^StJ5 (Ts'ao Mei Shu) 

 Perennial herbs with runners: lvs. 3~foliolate; lfts. wedge-shaped, coarsely ser- 

 rate: fls. ivhite, in raceme-like clusters on scapes: receptacle becoming fleshy in fr., 

 bearing numerous achenes. 20-30 species, mostly in the north temperate zone; 5 in 

 China. (Latin: fragran, fragrance, on account of the odor of the fr.) 



1. Fragaria chiloensis Duchesne var. ananassa Bailey ^l|S (Ts'ao Mei; Straw- 

 berry) (B.M.526). Stoloniferous herb; fls. white, IV; fr. red, V; achenes sunken 

 in pits. Western America; locally in An., Ki., Ku. Cultivated, fruit. Fig. 156. 



11. Duchesnea Sm. Indian Strawberry itMM (She Mei Shu) 

 Herbaceous perennials with lfy. runners, 3-foliolate lvs. and yellow fls.: receptacle 

 spongy: otherwise similar to Fragaria. Two species, in southern Asia; one in China. 

 (Named for A. N. Duchesne, who monographed Fragaria in 1766.) 



1. Duchesnea indica (Andr.) Focke Indian Strawberry ili't/'jl (She Mei; Snake Straw- 

 berry) (G.M.803). Stoloniferous herb; fls. yellow, III-IV; fr. red, V-VIII; epicalyx 



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